upgradation of windows server 2012 standard domain controller to newer version

Question

We have a small office of windows server active directory based setup. Primary domain controller is windows server 2012 standard 64 bit edition. Roles installed are only windows server update services (WSUS) active directory and dns. Backup domain controller is windows server 2016. All client computers are windows 10 professional version. I have to upgrade my primary domain controller to latest windows server version. Can I do in-place upgrade to version, like Windows Server 2016 or 2019,2022, 2025 directly on the existing server hardware. Or should I go for clean install. Do I need to remove any setvices like WSUS.

My server configuration is as below :-
Model - IBM SYSTEM X 3300 M4
PROCESSOR - INTEL (R) XEON (R) CPU E5-2403 1.8 Ghz
RAM - 16 GB 

Kindly give your expert advice how to do this.

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Hello SACHIN RAMAKANT NAIK，
Thank you for posting in Q&A forum.
Here are the answers for your references.

Can I do in-place upgrade to version, like Windows Server 2016 or 2019,2022, 2025 directly on the existing server hardware. Or should I go for clean install. Do I need to remove any setvices like WSUS.

A: I mainly focus on the issue or problem about AD Directory Services. For domain controller,

The recommended way to upgrade Windows Server 2012 domain controllers (also DNS server) to 2016 (or 2019，2022，2025) domain controllers is adding new version server to domain and promoting this new version server as Domain Controller (and DNS server), we do not recommend performing in-place upgrade the OS of 2012 Domain Controller from 2012 to 2016 (or 2019，2022，2025).

Here is a similar thread with detailed steps I have replied in the past.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2198979/ad-server-2016-to-2022-migration?forum=windowserver-all&referrer=answers&page=1#answers

Although I am not very familiar with WSUS, I also helped you search for WSUS migration information.
A migration from the old WSUS server to the new WSUS server. This is my recommended way.

For more information about WSUS migration please read link here.

https://www.ajtek.ca/wsus/how-to-migrate-or-upgrade-wsus/

I hope the information above is helpful.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to let us know.

Best Regards,

Daisy Zhou

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Answer 2

I recommend the in-place upgrade approach as long as the existing server has no issues. I've in-place upgraded just about everything (DC, SQL, Exchange, WSUS, Application servers) from Server 2012 to server 2012R2 to 2016/2019 to 2022, to 2025.

https://www.ajtek.ca/wsus/another-successful-in-place-upgrade-why-not-change-how-you-think/

If you're going to go to Server 2025, the NEW DC functionality can only be implemented by a migration OR in-place upgrading and then demoting and re-promoting a DC as long as prior prerequisites are met (forest and domain level set to 2016).